'This is not how it should be': Community mourns Girl Scouts killed in hit-and-run crash

A memorial to Girl Scout troop No. 3305 along Chippewa County Highway P, where three members of the troop and an adult volunteer were killed on Nov. 3.(Photo: Laura Schulte/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin)Buy Photo

CHIPPEWA FALLS - Balloons fluttered in the breeze Thursday morning, pulling at their strings attached to a small wooden cross along the highway in Lake Hallie.

A small collection of teddy bears and frozen bouquets of flowers lay at the base of the cross, a memorial to honor the four people — three middle-school girls and one woman — killed Saturday when they were picking up trash along the highway.

"In honor of Troop #3055 and all affected by the devastating loss of life here on 11/3/18. God's peace and love to all," the small note attached to the cross read, a small note from a local church.

On Thursday morning, family, friends and community members packed the Chippewa Valley Bible Church for the funeral service for two of the victims, 10-year-old Haylee Hickle and her mother, Sara Schneider, 32, from the town of Lafayette. It was the first funeral service for victims of the crash, and brightly colored flowers decorated the church as mourners comforted each other. The service was officiated by the Rev. James Woldhuis, who told mourners that the hearts of the community were breaking with the family.

"This is not how it should be, but how it is," he said.

A 21-year-old man, Colten Treu, is charged with four counts of homicide by intoxicated use of a vehicle in the crash. According to police, Treu and a passenger were huffing vapors from a bottle of computer keyboard cleaner before Treu, who was driving, crossed the center line and went into the ditch.

The crash killed Hickle and Schneider and two other members of the local Girl Scout troop: 9-year-old Jayna Kelley and 10-year-old Autumn Helgeson, both of Lake Hallie. Their troop had adopted the stretch of highway and regularly helped to keep litter and trash out of the ditches.

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Girl Scout troop No. 3305 adopted Chippewa County Highway P, where they were picking up trash on Nov. 3 when a pickup truck crashed into the group, killing four and injuring one.(Photo: Laura Schulte/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin)

Sara Denure, the principal of Southview Elementary School, where Haylee Hickle was a fourth-grader, spoke to those gathered during the service. Denure shared stories written by classmates about Haylee, about how she made people feel special and how thoughtful she was. She spoke of how the young girl cared for her younger brother, Jasper, and her mother's caring nature.

"Both Sara and Haylee will be missed by many," Denure said. "We were all fortunate to have them in our lives."

"I can't help but realize how much Haylee was her mother," said Emilee Thornton, Haylee's teacher in third grade, who also spoke.

Jayna Kelley, 9, Haylee Hickle, 10, Sara Schneider, 32, and Autum Helgeson, 10, were the victims of the Saturday hit-and-run in Lake Hallie, Wisconsin. The four with with a Girl Scout troop, cleaning up trash along a highway.(Photo: Photos courtesy of the Chippewa Falls Area Unified School District)

The women spoke of how creative and artistic Haylee was, often drawing pictures of her classmates in only seconds.

Steve Hein, who helped with children's ministry in the church, said he knew the mother and daughter well. Schneider volunteered to teach the third-grade girls last year, he said, and left a lasting impression on them.

"The first thing we knew Sara as was a dedicated and caring mom," he said.

On Thursday evening, friends and community members waited to pay respects to Autumn Helgeson at Our Savior's Lutheran Church, though temperatures were dropping and snow fell on their shoulders. The line stretched the entire length of the church and out through the parking lot, which was full of cars. Mourners embraced while carrying sympathy cards for the family. Members of the media were not permitted inside the church.